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Best affordable teppanyaki places in Singapore

December 06, 2018

There’s no meal quite as spectacular to watch and satisfying for the tummy as teppanyaki. Think succulent meats, fresh seafood, crisp veggies and flavourful sauces, paired with ninja-like knife skills and an open-top grill. It’s one way to keep them occupied during the meal without the iPad, for sure.

In Singapore, we have no lack of options for getting our teppanyaki fix without burning a hole in our pockets. Here’s our rundown of the best teppanyaki places in Singapore for an affordable and delicious meal.

Express Teppan-Yaki

Originating from Taiwan, Express Teppan-yaki serves up a tasty and authentic (well, authentically Taiwanese) iron-plate experience that won’t have you dreading the upcoming credit card statement. From poultry and meats to seafood (Beef rib! Oyster! Fish fillet! Sirloin steak!) all the popular choices are on offer here, waiting to be grilled, sliced and slathered in sauce at your command. If you’re hungry (or picky), go for the combo sets which offer two or more types of proteins. Expect to pay around $15 per diner.

Another popular budget teppanyaki choice, Heniu Teppanyaki serves up speedy set meals with a sprinkling of dramatic flair — thanks to the efforts of its hardworking chefs.

With a standard set of sauces used to flavour every portion, the emphasis here is on fuss-free meals that taste good the way freshly prepared food always does. That’s not to say the food at this Chinese enterprise (the ‘miso’ soup gives it away) isn’t delicious, just don’t expect to find any gastronomic revelations here. The standard beef, chicken, pork or salmon meals cost around $12 per set.

If you’re dining in a group, go ahead and order the combo meals for two or more pax (which include more side dishes like mushroom and omelette). For a comparable price, you’ll get so many more dishes than if you had ordered individual meals. Worth it!

Helmed by a Japanese chef and owner, Teppan Bar Q goes for the izakaya experience with an emphasis on mouth-watering goodness only an expertly handled teppan can deliver. A variety of bar bites and teppanyaki entrees pepper the menu, catering not only to a wide range in tastes but also budgets. Some savoury treats include the Squid with Pesto or Sauteed Mushrooms with Garlic.

With expertly seared A4 wagyu at $54 per serving, this is the place to go if you’re looking to treat yourself. Otherwise, more wallet-friendly options such as the sirloin steak ($30, 200gm) make for an equally enjoyable alternative.

Two words: Teppanyaki buffet. Yep, for those of you who don’t believe there can ever be too much of a good thing, Seiwaa Okonomiyaki and Teppanyaki proves there’s no such thing. At just $48 per pax for a 90-minute buffet, you can gorge all you want on unlimited servings of your favourite proteins and vegetables (such as grilled squid and bacon roll), served sizzling hot from the teppan. Best of all, it’s DIY, so you get to it up just the way you like it.

The buffet also includes okonomiyaki, in case you wanna switch gears and enjoy some fluffy Jap-style noodle pancakes just for variety. Not in the mood for a buffet? Choose from the restaurant’s selection of teppanyaki sets, which start from $10.

Its Tokyo outlet was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2016, so expect this Singapore iteration to be equally impressive. Osaka Kitchen prides itself as an authentic Osaka-style eatery, and makes for a solid option if you’re in the mood for a low- to mid-range treat.

The restaurant exercises discipline to keep its menu trim, allowing the chefs to focus on delivering a casual yet engaging dining experience — the hallmark of good teppanyaki.

At under $20 each, the Pan-Fried Butter Squid, Bacon Teppanyaki and Chilli-flavoured Chicken Teppanyaki provide affordable yet decent options. Grab a buddy or two so you can split the more extravagant options, such as Grilled Scallop with Butter or the wagyu entrees. And if you’re extra peckish, throw in an order of okonomiyaki — theirs come stuffed with pork belly and crispy bacon-like bits before being topped with kewpie mayonnaise and their special okonomiyaki sauce — for a satisfying finish.

Yaki Yaki Bo takes their teppanyaki seriously, pairing quality ingredients with deft seasoning to deliver a flavoursome dining experience. And if you’re lucky, you might even catch the jolly chefs putting on an impromptu performance or two.

The brainchild of the genius behind all those other Keisuke-branded Japanese eateries, Teppanyaki Hamburg focuses on Japanese-style hamburgers, hot-plate grilled to perfection.

There are only two choices of patties to begin with — prime beef or triple cheese — but you’ll get to pick from four tantalising sauces (including hot favourite Teriyaki Mayo as well as the citrusy Oroshi Ponzu) to dress your entree with. Added to that is a free flow salad bar with over 20 items, as well as unlimited eggs done your way. Bonus: The ooze of that triple cheese is so ‘gram-worthy. All that from only $18.80 — why wait to indulge?